Multi-filament light bulb and the like

ABSTRACT

A multi-filament light bulb or other electrical energy conducting article so arranged that the filaments can be individually energized by movement of a selector mounted on the base sleeve of the article for movement generally circumferentially thereof. When one of the filaments burns out, or a different wattage is desired for the bulb, the selector can be moved to couple another filament in circuit, and the bulb or other electrical conducting article need not be thrown away, thereby extending its period of usefulness. The arrangement is such that the selector can be mounted on the base without interferring with the conventional light fixture socket, including the conventional three-way socket.

United States Patent Dill MULTl-FILAMENT LIGHT BULB AND THE LIKE Inventor: Gary G. Dill, 28392 Magnolia Dr.,

North Olmsted, Ohio 44070 Filed: May 11, 1973 Appl. No.: 359,609

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Lobenthal 315/69 Lobenthal 315/67 Smith 315/64 Greger 315/64 X 1 May 27, 1975 Primary Examiner-Alfred E. Smith Assistant Examiner-E. R. LaRoche [57] ABSTRACT A multi-filament light bulb or other electrical energy conducting article so arranged that the filaments can be individually energized by movement of a selector mounted on the base sleeve of the article for move ment generally circumferentially thereof. When one of the filaments burns out, or a different wattage is desired for the bulb, the selector can be moved to couple anothenfilament in circuit, and the bulb or other electrical conducting article need not be thrown away, thereby extending its period of usefulness. The arrangement is such that the selector can be mounted on the base without interferring with the conventional light fixture socket, including the conventional threeway socket.

13 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures MULTI-FILAMENT LIGHT BULB AND THE LIKE This invention relates in general to a multi-filament or multi-circuit electrical conducting article such as for instance a light bulb or the like, for primarily extending the life of the bulb, and more particularly to a multifilament electrical conducting article or light bulb which has a selector movably mounted on the base thereof for selectively coupling one or more of the filaments in circuit, and a structure wherein the arrangement can be used with generally any standard configuration of base without interference with the receiving socket or any part thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Multifilament or multi-circuit light bulbs, fuses and the like are known in the prior art. Most of these prior art arrangements, however, have certain disadvantages in that they generally require the bending of a tab, or the tearing off of an insulating portion of a tab, in order to change from one filament to another filament. Moreover, such tabs in the prior art arrangement generally cause problems in connection with the use of the bulb or article in conventional sockets and especially such sockets as for instance of the three-way type, due to the fact that the projecting tab or other member for changing from one filament to the other may interfere with the component parts of the socket, and cause malfunctions of the bulb or article. Moreover, the application of such prior art arrangements to the conventional design of light fixture sockets or conventional design of bases for light bulbs generally involves problems of manufacture due to the generally extensive changes required in the base structure.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,534 issued June 27, 1972 to R- bert C. Marinace, U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,888 issued July 12, 1966 to J. K. Webb, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,400 is sued Jan. 3, 1967 to .I. A. Kienzle, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,51 L463 issued Aug. 25, 1925 to C. K. Brown are examples of the prior art on multi-filament bulbs or other multi-circuit electrical conducting articles, such as fuses or the like. However, as aforesaid, these prior art arrangements have not been entirely satisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a multi-filament electrical conducting article such as a light bulb, fuse or the like, wherein the selector for selectively coupling into circuit one or more of the filaments is mounted on the base of the bulb in non-interferring relation with the receiving socket and in at least partially circumferentially encompassing relation to the base, whereby the selector can be expeditiously actuated to quickly and expeditiously couple into circuit at least one of the filaments at a time.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a novel multi-filament electrical conducting article, such as a light bulb or the like, which overcomes the disadvantages inherent in the prior art multi-filament articles or bulbs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multifilament bulb which can be expeditiously manufactured utilizing a generally standard design of threaded base, and wherein the base includes an insulating member having a plurality of stationary electrical contacts mounted thereon and with the selector member which is adaptd to be movably mounted on the base in at least partially circumferentially encompassing relation to the threaded sleeve of the base, for generally circumferential movement with respect to the base, for selective movement of the selector into electrically coupled relation to a respective one of the stationary contacts, thus electrically coupling the electrical conducting sleeve of the base to one or more of the filaments of the article.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a base for an article of the above-mentioned type wherein the selector has free ends which extend into openings formed in the electrically conducting base sleeve for movably mounting the selector on the base sleeve for generally circumferential movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple selector for use with a substantially standard design of base for electrical conducting articles such as for instance multi-filament light bulbs, or fuses, or the like, and wherein the selector can be conveniently mounted on the base for generally circumferential movement with respect thereto and without interferring with the threaded movement of the base into a conventional receiving socket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a sectional view of a light bulb embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, bottom-plan view of the light bulb base in FIG. 1, showing the circumferentially movable selector with its contact portion in engagement with one of the stationary contacts on the base;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the selector per se and separated from the FIG. 2 base;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a modified form of the selector, whereby more than one filament of the multi-filament bulb can be energized at the same time;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a bulb embodying the present invention and showing another embodiment of selector, and more particularly one with a tab projecting therefrom for facilitating manual movement of the selector generally circumferentially of the base;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view ofa three-way light socket with a bulb embodying the present invention threaded therein, and illustrating the noninterferring relationship of the bulb with the conventional components of the three-way socket;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, partially broken, elevational view of a bulb illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the bulb shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, bottom plan view of the bulb of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, sectional view of a bulb base illustrating another embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, bottom plan view of the bulb of FIG. 10, and

FIG. 11a is an enlarged perspective of the movable modified selector of FIGS. 10 and 11, that is adapted to electrically couple the threaded member to a selected one of the electrical contacts on the insulating portion of the base.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now again to the drawings, there is shown a light bulb I embodying the present invention. The bulb includes a glass globe 12 having a neck portion 14 that is closed at its lower end. A tubular support portion 16 extends upwardly from the lower end of the neck portion, and an integrally formed generally cylindrical arbor 18 is reduced from the tubular support portion 16, as at step I9.

The incandescent elements of the bulb may include a first filament 20, a second filament 22 and a third filament 24, which are supported respectively by first, second and third lead-in wires or electrical energy conducting wires 26,28 and 30, and by a common lead-in or electrical energy conducting wire 32, which extends downwardly through the tubular member 16 into the interior of the base 34 of the bulb, through the insulating member 36 of the base, to the centrally located exterior stationary electrical contact 38, to be coupled thereto as by means of solder or the like.

The other electrical energy conducting elements 26,28 and extend downwardly through the tubular portion 16 and through the insulating member 36 to terminate at a respective exterior stationary electrical contact 40, 42 or 44, spaced along the diagonally ar ranged surface 46 of insulating member 36. As can be best seen in FIG. 2, the contacts 40, 42 and 44 are spaced generally circumferentially along surface 46, the latter being disposed below the threaded sleeve member 48 of the base 34 of the electrical energy conducting article or light bulb.

Insulating member 36 which is preferably formed of glass material, is unitary with the lower portion of the metal sleeve 48, with the latter being secured to member 36 by any suitable and conventional means. The base 34 of the bulb can be fixedly secured to the glass envelope 12 as by means of a ring of cement 50 applied in the conventional manner.

Movably mounted on the base 34 of the bulb and engaging the electrically conducting threaded collar portion 48, is a selector 52. In the embodiment illustrated, selector 52 may be formed of a strip or length of electrical energy conducting wire or metal bent or formed into a loop portion 56 which provides a contact for en gagement with a selected one of the stationary contacts 40, 42 or 44 on the base. Selector 52 also embodies generally curved arm portions 58 which at their free ends are each preferably bent into a curved shoe 60 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The material from which selector S2 is formed preferably has some resilience so that when the arms are moved toward one another and then released, they will spring back to their original position.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the contact portion 56 extends downwardly and inwardly from the arm portions 58, for engagement with a selected one of the stationary contacts 40, 42, 44 on the exterior of the insulating member 36. The threaded sleeve 48 of base 34, is, in the embodiment illustrated, provided with a pair of circumferentially spaced openings 62 therein which communicate the interior of the sleeve with the exterior. The elongated leg portions 58 of the selector member are received through a respective opening 62 and into engagement with the interior of the threaded sleeve. In the embodiment illustrated, such openings are disposed on the diagonally arranged inwardly sloping circumferential surface 64 of the sleeve. Surface 64 may be slightly indented between openings 62, as at 64a, to provide for receiving the arm portions 58 of the selector and aid in maintaining the latter in noninterferring relation on the base.

The shoe portions on the free ends of the arm portions of the selector preferably engage the interior of sleeve member 48 and ride generally in the interior recess or track defined by the lowermost thread on the threaded sleeve member 48, which aids in guiding the generally circumferential movement of the selector along the base.

It will be understood that with such an arrangement as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the selector member is out of interferring relation with the conventional light fixture socket in which the bulb base is adapted to be screwed, and therefore can be embodied into conventional forms of bases presently used in conventional electric light bulbs or the like. The arm portions 58 of the selector generally hug and circumferentially encompass a part of the inwardly sloped diagonal surface 64 of the sleeve 48, while the contact portion 56 of the selector slopes downwardly and inwardly for engagement with the selected stationary contact 40, 42, 44. Such an arrangement avoids interference whether it is used in a conventional socket of a light fixture or a standard three-way socket, which has an extra projection 68 (FIG. 6) projecting upwardly but as can be seen in non-interferring relation with the selector of the bulb base of the invention. However, in connection with a bulb embodying the invention and adapted for use in a three-way socket, the dimension d (FIG. 6) of the insulating member 36 is preferably increased as shown over that found in a conventional insulating member of present bulb bases, so that the selector on the base will be elevated above the uppermost level of projection 68, and thus ensure that the latter will not engage the selector, when the bulb base is screwed down into the threeway socket. In other types of conventional sockets, however, the dimension d can be that usually provided on standard or conventional bases. As for example, dimension d may be in the order of one tenth inch, in the FIG. 6 arrangement.

In the event that one of the filaments burns out, the selector 52 can be readily manually moved to engage the contact portion 56 thereof with another of the sta tionary contacts (e.g. 42) and thereby continue to utilize the bulb without the necessity of throwing it away. In the embodiment illustrated, this operation can be performed two times, so that the bulb illustrated has approximately three times the life of a conventional single filament bulb. However, it will be understood that a greater or lessor number of filaments could be provided, each of which would be coupled to a stationary electrical contact disposed on the exterior of the insulating member 36 of the base assembly 34.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of selector 52 wherein a plurality of contact portions 56,56 are formed on the selector member so that more than one of the stationary contacts on the insulating member 36 can be engaged with the selector thus activating or energizing a pair of filaments, assuming that the selector has been moved from the position illustrated in FIG. 4 to a position wherein contact portion 56 engages contact 42 and contact portion 56' engages contact 44. Such an arrangement provides for a selected difference in light energy emitted by the bulb, as well providing for changing from one filament to another.

Referring now to FIG. 5. there is illustrated another embodiment wherein the selector 52" also embodies a tab 72 projecting outwardly therefrom to facilitate engagement by the finger to accomplish mo\ emcnt of the selector relative to the base. and thereby couple the selector to another of the stationary contacts on the base. Hereagain. the tab 72 is out of interferring relation with the upper threaded portion of the sleeve of the base assembly. and can be used with a conventional light socket or with a three-way light socket or any other type of conventionally used light socket without intcrference.

FIG. 6 illustrates the selector of the general type of FIG. 5 as disposed in a conventional three-way socket S of a light fixture, and illustrating the non-interferring relation between the base of the bulb and the socket components.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 there is shown a further embodiment of the invention wherein an insulating tab 76 which may be formed of ceramic or glass-like material or the like, is held by the upper section of the threaded sleeve 48. Disposed along tab 76 are spaced. stationary contacts 40, 42 and 44 which are exteriorly accessible. Contacts 40, 42, 44 are electrically coupled as by means of a respective conducting member (eg. to one of the filaments of the multi-filament bulb and in the same general manner in the FIG. I bulb.

Mounted on an upper exterior thread of the sleeve 48' is a circumferentially rotatable collar member 78, for rotation relative to the insulating tab 76 and relative to the stationary contacts 40, 42, 44 mounted thereon. Collar 78 which is preferably formed of insulating material. such as for instance plastic, has a chamber 80 formed therein. in which is disposed a selector shoe 52" of electrical energy conducting material, such as for instance copper, and which may be of curved configuration as can be best seen in FIG. 7, so as to engage at its upper contact portion end 82 in electrical conducting relation to a selected one of the stationary contacts 40, 42, 44 on tab 76, and at its lower end engage in sliding but electrical energy conducting relation with the confronting surface of sleeve 48', thus forming an electrical path for electrical current from the base to the selected stationary contact, and therefore through the associated filament.

A tab 84 may be provided on the exterior of the collar as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, so as to facilitate ro tation of the collar on the base 34. It will be seen that moving the collar generally circumfcrentially of the base and from engagement of contact portion 82 of the selector 52 with one of the stationary contacts and into engagement with another stationary contact will change the filament which is energized in the multi filament bulb.

Thus. as one filament burns out. the collar 78 can be rotated to energize a non burned out filament, thus keeping the light in operation and preventing the necessity of throwing it out. Since the collar is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the base assembly 34, the threaded sleeve portion 48 is preferably of a slightly greater height than that of the previous described embodiments. to compensate for the necessary entry of the threaded sleeve portion into the socket without interference from collar 78.

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Referring now to FIGS. 10, I] and Ila. there is shown another embodiment wherein the selector 52a. formed or bent from electrical energy conducting material. is adapted to be removable from one selected position on the base and moved circumferentially to another selected position or station on the base. for coupling the electrically conducting sleeve 48 to a selected one of the stationary contact protrusions 40. 42 or 44 exteriorly accessible on the insulating member 36. Sleeve 48 on sloping surface 64 thereof. is slit and deformed outwardly into bridge portions 86 loop holes which provide stations or locations for positioning the selector 52a.

Selector 52a, in the embodiment illustrated. is a generally shaped hair-pin like member with its free ends generally reversely bent. as at 90. The contact portion 56 of selector 52a is adapted to coact in generally snap fastening relation to the confronting of the stationary contacts for ensuring good conduction between selector 52a and the respective stationary contact. The arm portions 58 of the selector 52a are adapted to be squeezed toward one another to permit the selector to pass beneath or interiorly of the selected bridge portion 86, after which the arms when released. spring outwardly into engagement with the pheriphery of the defining slits. Humped sections 92 on the arms 58 prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the pin selector 52a from its selected position on the base assembly. It will be seen by changing the position or station at which selector 52a is located. the filament of the bulb that is coupled into circuit is changed. As before. the arrangement is such that it is mounted on the base out of interferring relation.

From the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the invention provides a multi-filament electrical conducting article. such as a rnulti-filament light bulb or multi-circuit fuse arrange ment, whereby the filaments or circuits can be individually and selectively energized by movement of a selector movably mounted on the base of the article, and in a manner whereby it is out of interferring relation, so that the base of the article can be threadedly screwed into the conventional socket of a light fixture or the like without interference with the socket or the component parts thereof.

Moreover, the invention provides a multifilament bulb or article which can be readily manufactured without radically revising the manufacturing processes utilized to manufacture conventional bulbs. When one of the filaments or circuits burns out. the selector can be readily moved to couple another filament in circuit. thereby extending the useful life thereof.

The terms and expressions which have been used are used as terms of description and not of limitation. and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features shown or described, or portions thereof. and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a multi-filament electric light bulb having a sealed glass envelope and a base fixedly attached thereto. said base being adapted for engaging in a re ceiving socket, and including a plurality of conducting elements arranged in parallel and connected to a respective filament. said base comprising a hollow electrical conducting member and an insulating member disposed in the lower end of said hollow member and projecting outwardly of said lower end thereof, a plurality of spaced stationary contacts mounted generally circumfercntially on said insulating member and being exteriorly accessible, each of said contacts being electrically coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements. an electrical conducting selector having free ends and being movably mounted on said base, for gen erally circumferential movement with respect thereto, said selector at its ends extending interiorly of said base for movably mounting said selector on said base, said selector having a contact portion adapted for engage ment with a respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said hollow member to a selected one of said conducting elements, said selector being positioned relative to said base so that said contact portion extends below said hollow member and generally hugs the exterior surface of said base.

2. A light bulb in accordance with claim 1 wherein said selector comprises a member formed from metal wire bent into a looped configuration forming said contact portion and laterally extending arm sections which are adapted at their free ends to be disposed interiorly of said hollow member and in slidable engagement therewith.

3. In a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector movably mounted on said base, and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with a respective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements, said conducting elements having a common return lead, a fur ther stationary contact disposed on the exterior of said insulating member and being connected to said common lead, and wherein said selector comprises a loop shaped portion which extends downwardly and inwardly relative to said threaded member so that the greater portion of said loop shaped portion is disposed below the threaded area on said base and is out of interferring relation with the components of the socket into which said base is adapted to be screwed, said loop shaped portion forming said contact portion of said selector.

4. in a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector movably mounted on said base and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with a respective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements. and wherein said selector comprises a piece of bent wire having generally laterally extending curvilinear arm portions the ends of which are received interiorly of said base for movably mounting the selector generally circumferentially on said base, and wherein said contact portion extends from said selector downwardly and inwardly relative to said threaded member for selective engagement with a selected one of said stationary contacts on said base, so as to couple said threaded member with the selected contact, each said stationary contact comprising a protuberance and said contact portion comprising a loop adapted to receive a respec tive confronting contact in snap fastened coacting rela tron.

5. In a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector movably mounted on said base and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with a respective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements, and wherein said threaded member is threaded on the exterior thereof generally above an inverted frustro-conical shaped portion of said threaded member, said selector comprising a generally resilient length of metal bent into a looped portion which provides said contact portion and arm portions which extend generally laterally outwardly from said contact portion, said base having spaced openings therein formed in said frusto-conical portion below the last thread of said threaded member, the free ends of said arm portions being received through said openings so as to be disposed interiorly of said threaded member and rotatably mounting said selector on said base.

6. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector arm portions are of sufficient length to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the selector from the base during generally circumferential movement of the selector a predetermined maximum amount in either rotary direction.

7. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector at its free ends has curved portions adapted to slidingly engage the interior of said threaded member and provide smooth movement of said selector relative to said threaded member 8. A base in accordance with claim wherein said conducting elements have a common return lead, a fur ther stationary contact disposed on the exterior of said insulating member and being connected to said common lead.

9. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector includes a plurality of spaced contact portions thereon whereby a plurality of said stationary contacts can be engaged with a respective contact portion of said selector in a selected position of the latter so thatv a plurality of said conducting elements can be simult. neously energized.

10. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector is formed of resilient wire.

11. A base in accordance with claim 5 including a projecting tab portion on said selector adapted for gripping by the fingers of an individual for selectively moving said selector in a generally circumferential direction with respect to said base so as to electrically couple said threaded member with a selected one of said stationary contacts on said insulating member.

12. In a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector removably mounted on said base and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the re spective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements, and wherein said selector comprises a generally V-shapcd hairpin-like member formed from metal into a contact portion at the base of the V and arm sections radiating out from the base which arm sections at their free ends are reversely bent. said threaded member having generally laterally spaced loop holes located generally circumferentially of said threaded member, each loop hole being associated with the respective stationary contact, said selector being removably received in a selected of said loop holes to electrically couple said threaded member with the respective stationary contact, said arm sections being resiliently biased outwardly relative to one another and into engagement with said threaded member at opposite ends of the respective loop hole 13. A base in accordance with claim 12 wherein each of said loop holes are defined in part by a bridging portion formed from the material of said threaded member and projecting outwardly therefrom, said reversely bent ends overlapping the associated bridging portion and preventing removal of said selector from the respective loop hole in one direction, and means on said arm sections for resisting withdrawal of the selector from the associated loop hole in the opposite direction, the last mentioned means comprising reverse outward bends in each of said arm sections so as to increase the biasing resistance of said arm sections toward one another when attempting to withdraw said selector from the associated loop hole in said opposite direction 

1. In a multi-filament electric light bulb having a sealed glass envelope and a base fixedly attached thereto, said base being adapted for engaging in a receiving socket, and including a plurality of conducting elements arranged in parallel and connected to a respective filament, said base comprising a hollow electrical conducting member and an insulating member disposed in the lower end of said hollow member and projecting outwardly of said lower end thereof, a plurality of spaced stationary contacts mounted generally circumferentially on said insulating member and being exteriorly accessible, each of said contacts being electrically coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrical conducting selector having free ends and being movably mounted on said base, for generally circumferential movement with respect thereto, said selector at its ends extending interiorly of said base for movably mounting said selector on said base, said selector having a contact portion adapted for engagement with a respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said hollow member to a selected one of said conducting elements, said selector being positioned relative to said base so that said contact portion extends below said hollow member and generally hugs the exterior surface of said base.
 2. A light bulb in accordance with claim 1 wherein said selector comprises a member formed from metal wire bent into a looped configuration forming said contact portion and laterally extending arm sections which are adapted at their free ends to be disposed interiorly of said hollow member and in slidable engagement therewith.
 3. In a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector movably mounted on said base, and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with a respective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements, said conducting elements having a common return lead, a further stationary contact disposeD on the exterior of said insulating member and being connected to said common lead, and wherein said selector comprises a loop shaped portion which extends downwardly and inwardly relative to said threaded member so that the greater portion of said loop shaped portion is disposed below the threaded area on said base and is out of interferring relation with the components of the socket into which said base is adapted to be screwed, said loop shaped portion forming said contact portion of said selector.
 4. In a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector movably mounted on said base and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with a respective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements, and wherein said selector comprises a piece of bent wire having generally laterally extending curvilinear arm portions the ends of which are received interiorly of said base for movably mounting the selector generally circumferentially on said base, and wherein said contact portion extends from said selector downwardly and inwardly relative to said threaded member for selective engagement with a selected one of said stationary contacts on said base, so as to couple said threaded member with the selected contact, each said stationary contact comprising a protuberance and said contact portion comprising a loop adapted to receive a respective confronting contact in snap fastened coacting relation.
 5. In a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector movably mounted on said base and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with a respective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements, and wherein said threaded member is threaded on the exterior thereof generally above an inverted frustro-conical shaped portion of said threaded member, said selector comprising a generally resilient length of metal bent into a looped portion which provides said contact portion and arm portions which extend generally laterally outwardly from said contact portion, said base having spaced openings therein formed in said frusto-conical portion below the last thread of said threaded member, the free ends of said arm portions being received through said openings so as to be disposed interiorly of said threaded member and rotatably mounting said selector on said base.
 6. A base iN accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector arm portions are of sufficient length to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the selector from the base during generally circumferential movement of the selector a predetermined maximum amount in either rotary direction.
 7. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector at its free ends has curved portions adapted to slidingly engage the interior of said threaded member and provide smooth movement of said selector relative to said threaded member.
 8. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said conducting elements have a common return lead, a further stationary contact disposed on the exterior of said insulating member and being connected to said common lead.
 9. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector includes a plurality of spaced contact portions thereon whereby a plurality of said stationary contacts can be engaged with a respective contact portion of said selector in a selected position of the latter so that a plurality of said conducting elements can be simultaneously energized.
 10. A base in accordance with claim 5 wherein said selector is formed of resilient wire.
 11. A base in accordance with claim 5 including a projecting tab portion on said selector adapted for gripping by the fingers of an individual for selectively moving said selector in a generally circumferential direction with respect to said base so as to electrically couple said threaded member with a selected one of said stationary contacts on said insulating member.
 12. In a base for an electrical conducting article such as a light bulb or the like, said base being adapted for threadedly engaging in a receiving socket and including a plurality of electrical energy conducting elements arranged in parallel, said base comprising a hollow electrically conducting threaded member and an insulating member projecting outwardly of the threaded member, a plurality of spaced stationary electrical contacts mounted on said insulating member, each of said contacts being coupled to a respective one of said conducting elements, an electrically conducting selector removably mounted on said base and having a contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts, said selector being mounted on said base in engaged relation to said threaded member for electrically coupling the latter to said selector, said contact portion adapted for selective engagement with the respective one of said stationary contacts to electrically couple said threaded member to the selected one of said conducting elements, and wherein said selector comprises a generally V-shaped hairpin-like member formed from metal into a contact portion at the base of the V and arm sections radiating out from the base which arm sections at their free ends are reversely bent, said threaded member having generally laterally spaced loop holes located generally circumferentially of said threaded member, each loop hole being associated with the respective stationary contact, said selector being removably received in a selected of said loop holes to electrically couple said threaded member with the respective stationary contact, said arm sections being resiliently biased outwardly relative to one another and into engagement with said threaded member at opposite ends of the respective loop hole.
 13. A base in accordance with claim 12 wherein each of said loop holes are defined in part by a bridging portion formed from the material of said threaded member and projecting outwardly therefrom, said reversely bent ends overlapping the associated bridging portion and preventing removal of said selector from the respective loop hole in one direction, and means on said arm sections for resisting withdrawal of the selector from the associated loop hole in the opposite direction, the last mentioned means comprising reverse outward bends in each of said arm sections so as to increase the biasing resistance of said arm sections toward one another when attempting to withdraw said selector from the associated loop hole in said opposite direction. 